George RR Martin Has a Lot to Say About Rings of Power, Apparently
With House of the Dragon and Rings of Power being shown at the same time, it's no surprise that online forums have been inundated with comparisons of the two. But George RR Martin has questioned why they must be pitted against each other and suggested any rivalry "mostly exists in the media."
In an exclusive interview with The Independent back in May, Martin predicted that there would be competition between the two but said he believes that this situation should be welcomed by fans of the fantasy genre – of which he himself is one.
In fact, Martin is also on record saying he hopes Rings of Power succeeds. He even goes as far as to say that he wants to see more fantasy series with more variety. According to Martin, things have never looked so good for fans of fantasy.
He sees the phenomenal success of Game of Thrones as a stepping stone to there being much more fantasy available on TV or streaming services – and not only one at a time.
It's certainly true that pre-GoT, we couldn't have imagined two big-budget series in fantasy worlds we know and love, coming out and both being major hits at the same time.
And let's be honest, did anybody really watch the first episode of Game of Thrones and say, "This really reminds me of Lord of the Rings"?
Of course not. They are very different stories told in very different ways.
So maybe George RR Martin has a point. Why should we be comparing the two and looking for similarities? Surely, we'd be better off to just enjoy each show for what it is and focus on what it does well?
Naturally, with each franchise being unique, not everybody will like both. And that's fine. There doesn't need to be a competition.
Although, having said that, it's fair to say that Martin does have a slightly competitive feeling towards the 'rivalry' that he says is mainly driven by media interest.
"If they win six Emmys," he said, "and I hope they do. I hope we win seven."
So, there you have it. George RR Martin is one fan of the fantasy genre that has no problem with multiple shows on at the same time. And, of course, modern viewers need not worry about scheduling clashes. We can all enjoy all the shows we want at the time that suits us best. The only competition between them is which one wins the most Emmys.